<< At 11:30 on the morning of May 29 1953,Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the Mt. Everest summit/photo: Academy of Achievement Museum

The official website of the trust (www.dalailamavisit.org.nz) states that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is slated to visit New Zealand from 17 to 20 June.

During His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s New Zealand Tour 2007, he will be visiting Auckland and Wellington to give public talks and public teachings at the invitation of the Tibetan Buddhist community of New Zealand.

According to the press statement, Sir Edmund Hillary, the famous New Zealand mountaineer, who along with Tenzin Norgay of Nepal became the first person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953, and the Dalai Lama have been close friends for a number of years.

Following is the full text of the press release:

Press Release: Dalai Lama

Sir Edmund Hilary to meet Dalai Lama during New Zealand Visit
23 May 2007:

The Dalai Lama Visit Trust New Zealand is pleased to announce that Sir Edmund Hillary has accepted an invitation to meet to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his scheduled visit to New Zealand in June.

Sir Edmund Hillary and the Dalai Lama have been close friends for a number of years.

Sir Edmund will accompany the Dalai Lama to a Mayoral welcome in Auckland and will introduce His Holiness at a public address to be given by the Dalai Lama at the Vector Arena in Auckland on Sunday June 17th at 2pm.

Sir Edmund and His Holiness will be accompanied by Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegal at the public address.

Tickets to the Auckland public talk are available through Ticketmaster outlets.